Thermochromic coatings hold promise in reducing building energy consumption by dynamically regulating the heat gain of windows, which are often regarded as less energy-efficient components, across different seasons. Vanadium dioxide (VO₂) stands out as a versatile thermochromic material for smart windows owing to its reversible metal-to-insulator transition (MIT) alongside correlated structural and optical properties. In this review, we delve into recent advancements in the phase-change VO₂-based thermochromic coatings for smart windows, spanning from the macroscopic crystal level to the microscopic structural level (including elemental doping and micro/nano-engineering), as well as advances in controllable fabrication. It is notable that hybridizing functional elements/materials (e.g., W, Mo/SiO₂, TiN) with VO₂ in delicate structural designs (e.g., core-shell, optical cavity) brings new degrees of freedom for controlling the thermochromic properties, including the MIT temperature, luminous transmittance, solar-energy modulation ability and building-relevant multi-functionality. Additionally, we provide an overview of alternative chromogenic materials that could potentially complement or surpass the intrinsic limitations of VO₂. By examining the landscape of emerging materials, we aim to broaden the scope of possibilities for smart window technologies. We also offer insights into the current challenges and prospects of VO₂-based thermochromic smart windows, presenting a roadmap for advancing this field towards enhanced energy efficiency and sustainable building design. In summary, this review innovatively categorizes doping strategies and corresponding effects of VO₂, underscores their crucial NIR-energy modulation ability for smart windows, pioneers a theoretical analysis of inverse core-shell structures, prioritizes practical engineering strategies for solar modulation in VO₂ films, and summarizes complementary chromogenic materials, thus ultimately advancing VO₂-based smart window technologies with a fresh perspective.

热致变色涂料有望通过在不同季节动态调节窗户的得热来降低建筑能耗，而窗户通常被认为是能源效率较低的组件。二氧化钒 (VO ₂ ) 因其可逆金属到绝缘体转变 (MIT) 以及相关的结构和光学特性，成为智能窗户的多功能热致变色材料。在这篇综述中，我们深入研究了用于智能窗的相变VO ₂基热致变色涂层的最新进展，从宏观晶体水平到微观结构水平（包括元素掺杂和微/纳米工程），以及可控制造方面取得进展。值得注意的是，在精细的结构设计（例如核壳、光学腔）中将功能元素/材料（例如W、Mo/SiO ₂ 、TiN）与VO ₂混合为控制热致变色性能带来了新的自由度，包括MIT温度、透光率、太阳能调制能力以及与建筑相关的多功能性。此外，我们还概述了可能补充或超越 VO ₂固有局限性的替代显色材料。通过研究新兴材料的前景，我们的目标是扩大智能窗户技术的可能性范围。我们还深入探讨了基于 VO ₂的热致变色智能窗当前的挑战和前景，并提出了推动该领域提高能源效率和可持续建筑设计的路线图。 总之，这篇综述创新性地对VO ₂的掺杂策略和相应效应进行了分类，强调了它们对智能窗户至关重要的近红外能量调制能力，开创了反核壳结构的理论分析，优先考虑了VO ₂薄膜中太阳能调制的实际工程策略，并总结了互补显色材料，从而最终以全新的视角推进基于 VO ₂的智能窗户技术。